Hamilton County Public Health staff will be looking for areas of standing water, applying larvicide and making sure swimming pools are operating properly.

They are also advising residents to drain, dunk and protect in an effort to prevent the West Nile virus:

DRAIN

Look for and drain sources of standing water on your property – litter, tires, buckets, flower pots, wading pools and similar items that could create standing water and become mosquito breeding sites.

Frequently change water in bird baths and pet bowls.

Drain small puddles after heavy rainstorms.

DUNK

Apply mosquito larvicide, sometimes called mosquito “dunks,” to areas of standing water that cannot be drained. The “dunks” are environmentally safe and won’t harm pets. Purchase them at your local hardware store.

PROTECT

Cut your grass and trim shrubbery.

Make sure screens in windows and doors are tight-fitting and free from defect.

Wear long sleeves and pants during peak mosquito hours – dawn and dusk.

Use an EPA-registered insect repellent such as those containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Always follow the directions on the package.

Officials said it’s important to note most people who are bitten by a mosquito with the virus will never become sick. People over age 50 have the highest risk of developing severe WNV infections. Symptoms may develop two to 14 days after someone is bitten:

No Symptoms in Most People. Approximately 70-80 percent of people who are infected with WNV will not show any symptoms at all.

Milder Symptoms in Some People. Up to 20 percent of the people who become infected will display symptoms which can include fever, headache, and body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back. Symptoms can last for as short as a few days, though even healthy people have been sick for several weeks.

Serious Symptoms in a Few People. Less than one percent of people infected with WNV will develop severe illness. The severe symptoms can include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. These symptoms may last several weeks, and neurological effects may be permanent.

For more information on the virus, contact Hamilton County Public Health at 513-946-7800 or visit their website.